New York State Announces $7 Million To Fund Employment Services for Individuals with Behavioral Health Issues

The state Office of Mental Health today announced the availability of $7 million to fund and expand the use of the Individual Placement and Support, an evidence-based program that helps individuals living with behavioral health issues work at regular jobs of their choosing. The second round of state funding follows nearly $3.4 million issued to seven providers earlier this year to help them to increase employment options at agency-licensed and designated outpatient rehabilitation programs.

"Employment can have a tremendously beneficial impact on an individual's ability to recover from a behavioral health issue," OMH Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said. "These new employment services utilizing a proven effective model Individual Placement and Support will enable New Yorkers living with mental health and substance use challenges to obtain employment in their communities. By helping these New Yorkers find and maintain meaningful employment, we can help them to achieve financial independence and remove a key obstacle on their paths to recovery."

Also known as CORE Psychosocial Rehabilitation services, these person-centered supports help individuals living with behavioral health issues to build skills and self-efficiency. CORE services promote community participation, personal recovery, successful community integration and satisfactory quality of life for individuals who have behavioral health concerns.

Providers located upstate are eligible to receive $71,858 annually over five years. Upstate applicants maintaining an annual caseload of 100 individuals or greater in a single county or more than 70 individuals in two or more counties are eligible to receive a total of $143,716 annually over five years.

Providers located downstate are eligible to receive $77,567 annually over five years. Downstate applicants maintaining an annual caseload of 100 individuals or greater in a single county or more than 70 individuals in two or more counties are eligible to receive a total of $155,134 annually over five years.

Earlier this year, OMH provided award to seven providers to offer these services. Recipients and their total awards include:

• The Neighborhood Centerbased in Utica and Oneida County, $359,290
• Allwelbased in New York City, $775,670
• Family Residences and Essential Enterprises, Inc.based in Old Bethpage and Nassau County, $387,835
• Association for Mental Health and Wellnessbased in Ronkonkoma and Suffolk County, $775,670
• Fountain House based on Manhattan, $387,835
• Pesach Tikvah based in Brooklyn, $387,835
• Intandem (Cattaraugus Rehabilitation Center) based in Olean and Cattaraugus County, $359,290

Individual Placement and Support is a model that supports working with the individual at any point during their recovery and regardless of their prior employment history or existing barriers. This initiative integrates evidence-based practices, clinical treatment, recovery, and rehabilitation in a single, person-centered environment, which allows employment specialists to work closely with rehabilitation and vocational staff.

This person-centered model requires agency-wide strategies to encourage and engage individuals around competitive, integrated employment, in addition to a high level of partnership with local employers. Individuals assisted by this model are linked to employment supports, helped with navigating work incentives, and provided follow-along supports that are continuous.

Employment and socioeconomic status are key social determinants of health and mental health. By increasing funding and support for all employment and rehabilitation programs, OMH can help providers implement these principles and practices.

The funding complements Governor Kathy Hochul's multi-year $1 billion plan to strengthen New York State's mental health care system and drastically reduce the number of individuals with unmet mental health needs. Adopted last year, the plan provides the funding needed to open new programs, expand effective initiatives, and develop thousands of new units of specialized housing to serve individuals living with mental illness.

Office of Addiction Seervices And Supports Commissioner Dr. Chinazo Cunningham said,"Finding and maintaining employment can have a strong positive impact on individuals impacted by addiction. Initiatives like this are a vital part of the robust continuum of behavioral health services available in New York State, and this effort will help those affected by addiction by supporting their overall health and well-being and helping them to make a positive impact in their communities."

State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities Acting Commissioner Willow Baer said, "Many people with developmental disabilities struggle with behavioral or mental health needs. With investments like these, more people will be able to succeed and reach their employment goals with the help of a job coach and other supports. This funding is critical to advancing New York's initiative to prioritize competitive work as a first option for people with disabilities and OPWDD is excited to see the results of these continued investments."
Kimberly Hill Ridley, New York's Chief Disability Officer, said, "One of the top priorities of the Office of the Chief Disability Officer is to significantly improve employment outcomes for all people with disabilities. Since IPS is a proven model to successfully assist people living with behavioral health conditions secure employment positions of their choosing, we are thrilled about this investment that will only serve to ensure that more people with disabilities are working in competitive and integrated jobs in our local communities."

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